Abhinaya Sriram

What motivated you to pursue a PG degree?

My motivation to pursue postgraduate studies stems from a deep curiosity and passion for acquiring knowledge and developing skills in journalism. I have worked as a journalist for more than three years and I believe that skill learning can be acquired proficiently through university teaching. I wanted to pursue an education in London – which is one of the best places to learn journalistic skills, as the city is renowned for its century-old newspaper culture. At a university, there is ample opportunity to engage and collaborate with experts and peers in the field, who can offer insights into how the industry works and how students can be better prepared for industry-level practices. In essence, my decision to pursue studies in journalism at university is driven by a deep-seated passion for storytelling.

What subjects did you study before applying for study at university?

In my school, I was a commerce student, where I was exposed to the world of business and accounting. While this was not my field of interest and passion, I moved on to pursuing journalism in my undergraduate degree.

I had two years of English as a mandatory module alongside Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. Alongside these language modules I also had the opportunity to learn about the fundamental aspect of journalism – reporting. This included both hard news and features. In my second year, I was also trained to report for business and broadcast journalism. I picked up some key skills in digital journalism through a module called New Media in my final year. My undergraduate program also helped me learn some creative skills, which includes editing audio content for radio production and broadsheet designing.

Were there any challenges affecting your decision to study at university? If so, how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge affecting my decision to study at university at undergraduate level was to convince my parents that journalism can be a reliable career path. While it isn’t something that a lot of students pursue as opposed to programs relating to computers and finance, I wanted to do something unique which can leave an impact on the society. My parents were supportive of my decision after several conversations and interacting with some family members who pursued journalism also added to the ease in process of choosing this as my career path. Another challenge was to choose the right university in India, as there weren’t many universities offering the course. Luckily, I had an acquaintance who did the same program for undergrad and speaking to her gave me more clarity in my decision-making process.

Why did you choose City St Georges?

With ‘fast’ and ‘short’ being the dominant idea of online news platforms today, City St George's focus on journalism through social media and multimedia storytelling drew my attention. As I wish to see myself working with top media companies in London as a multimedia journalist, the modules concentrating on social media, multimedia and audience engagement would be a perfect fit for my career goals.

I was drawn to multimedia storytelling and data visualisation and communication modules as it would equip me with the right skillset to work in a new-age digital newsroom. Through a lot of networking with past students, I learned that this course would open interesting avenues in my career as a multimedia journalist. With the help of the university’s experienced and expert professors – with whom I had interviews with before joining the course – I was certain that it will be the best way to meet key industry professionals. City St George's also ranks high in sustainability and quality of life which is crucial for cross-cultural understanding and that's why I chose to study at City St George's.

What does a typical week at university look like for you?

My first term was quite a busy one, with a lot of classes packed into the schedule. While this was overwhelming at the start, I slowly got used to my coursework and started planning my weeks around it. My classes mostly began around 11a.m. and would end by 5p.m. I tried to hit the gym in the evenings on most days and compensate with a walk near my accommodation when I didn’t go to the gym.

I enjoy cooking my meals a lot and look forward to having them with my flatmates. We have a shared kitchen space that is used by 15 of us (who are all students studying at City St George's) from different parts of the world and we discuss how our day was during our dinner. During the weekend, I try to catch up on my coursework and make time to meet friends from India who work or study here. As part of my coursework, I was also sent out during weekends to explore the city for interesting story ideas, and this also added to the experience of travel, people, food and more!

What has been your favourite module or aspect of your course so far?

My most favourite module at my course was Social, Community and Multimedia Management. I was looking forwards to this module when I first applied to City St George's. This was important to the career path I’m looking to delve into. It not only has elements of video editing, but also social media and community management, which make up for what the modern journalism looks like. I am also thankful to the three professors who ensured we had so much fun during this module. Another interesting aspect of my degree is the opportunity to choose from a wide range of electives – something that stood out from other universities. I chose Audience Strategy, Podcast and Data Visualisation and Communication this terms which give me the required skillset to jump into the industry confidently.

What opportunities and experiences has your School offered you so far?

School of Communication and Creativity offers opportunity to listen to guest lectures who work in the industry. I went to a several of them. It was inspiring to learn about the various opportunities that one can pursue after a master’s degree in journalism and communication. It was also a fantastic way to network and ask questions. Some of the guest lecturers were City St George's alumni, which was reassuring.

Another exciting experience was the different ways of reporting practices that we were introduced to. While I have been a journalist in India before, learning in depth about the nuances of reporting for hard news and features were quite a learning! Having to learn modules with other students from other pathways in Journalism has increased the networking opportunity largely within the School.